I would be grateful for people's advice on this - here goes:

At the end of January my sheltie bitch started what I assumed was her 3rd season - her cycle is around 10 months so it was about the right time.  After a couple of days although things looked a bit gungy around the vaginal area I couldn't detect any more blood.  I am inexperienced (never having had an un-neutered bitch before) so I assumed that all was OK.  Three weeks later she still looked a bit grungey.  She went to the groomers for a bath and the groomer told me that she had a real job to get all the gungey stuff off and under it she looked a bit sore.  I immedately took her to the vet who diagnosed an infection.  She said she thought it was a vaginal rather than a womb infection and put her on ABs and some cream to apply.  I am having to clean her properly daily.  She seems to have a vaginal discharge which is definitely coloured.  When I took her back to the vet a week later, the vet said she thought things had considerably improved.  She hasn't prescribed any more ABs but told me to keep bathing her nether regions.  She said (thank God) she was pretty sure it is not the dreaded Pyrometra of which she had seen many cases and Isla's discharge looks more of a vaginal discharge.  Isla is not yet 3 years old and is her usual exuberant self, eating well and dashing around as usual.

The thing is though, she still has this discharge and I am not sure what to do next.  I am hoping to breed her at her next season so I really don't want to have her spayed (of coure I would if it was best for her).  I also wonder whether what I thought was her season was actually this discharge and not a proper season.  I feel this cannot be right (the discharge) and will of course take her back to the vet this week.

I realise that after years of owning rescue dogs (all neutered) I don't know much about bitches and their problems.  I wonder whether anyone else has experienced this "dribbling" sort of discharge and would welcome their advice.
Thanks

Snowflake

Think I would be seeing another vet.

I'd too ask for a swab/culture test if the ab's haven't cleared it up by now.  It might a infection that immune to those particular ab's that you had.

I'd be wanting to rule out endometritis as well as pyo. 

With our youngest dog, we had a similar unidentified gunky situation when she was in early adolescence (7+mnths, perhaps).  After urinating there would often be a long gloopy strand hanging down from her.  It was clear or white though, not coloured.  She was very well in all other ways.  We took her to our vets, who gave us ABs too.  But they made no difference and it continued.  Our vet then wanted us to flush her vagina out, using a syringe of water!  He demonstrated this in the surgery to us, and it left her squealing and traumatised :(  We went home and agreed we were not going to do that to her.  We decided to monitor things for a few weeks and see what happened.  (We were not sure if this was a 'natural' and healthy discharge - - it didn't seem sinister, it didn't smell, it wasn't coloured...).  After a few weeks, it cleared up on its own and has never come back.

I was reading a book on the breeding bitch a few months ago and was struck by this:  'Vaginitis is often seen in pre-pubertal bitch puppies.  A bit of sticky, creamy discharge may be seen around the vulva.  In most cases the problem is self-limiting and will disappear with the first estrous cycle.'

However, it does sound more sinister in older bitches according to this book and can lead to infertility if left untreated.  She recommends a vaginal smear should be cultured to identify the cause and the relevant AB, and says that treatment might involve vaginal infusions (sounds like what our vet suggested) and ABs.

Hi

Have been back to the vet today and saw my usual vet,  Vanessa, who I had not see the two previous visits.  Isla continues to be well in herself (although not her usual exuberant self in yesterday's agility).  However I could see that the discharge had returned - if it had ever really disappeared.  Vanessa has taken a swab for examination but is sure it is not a womb infection but is def vaginitis.  She examined the dog very thoroughly,  no temperature,  heart sound, gums etc  a good colour.  She told me that vaginitis can typically occur in a bitch of Isla's age (2-3) when she has had a couple of seasons.  So she has prescribed different ABs for a period of 10 days and I have to take her back on Friday so Vanessa can see how she is, or before if she gives cause for concern.  If necessary she can have a scan of her uturus.

So we are taking it one step at a time.  I do hope we can get her over this (it is a quite a hefty infection).  It is the first time my little girl has ever been poorly but whatever the outcome I will do what is best for her as she is my pride and joy.

Snowflake

I have just had this with my greyhound and the vet scanned her while I waited took about 10 mins, she is now coming to the end of a 10 day course of antibiotics and the discharge has cleared up.
Hope Isla is soon better too.

Isla is several days into her new ABs.  I noticed yesterday that the "discharge" was now bright red and the vulva quite swollen.  I had to take her back as requested to see Vanessa my vet this morning.  Vet confirmed that she is satisfied that she has got over the infection thanks to the ABs (although has to finish the 10 days course) and what she now appears to have is her proper season.  I think what she had at the end of January was the start of the vaginitis but not a season as there was never any bright red blood,  just brownish discharge.

How confusing this is as it would mean that it is 11 months since her last season.  I am hoping to breed her next time and don't know whether her cycle will be the usual 10 months or 11 months.  Still, I am very pleased that she has got on top of this infection - but now her usual activities (agility, maybe pat dog duties if she is really messy still) will have to be put on hold for another 3 weeks!

Snowflake